"...somebody named Cliff Schecter, an expert. Never heard of him."-Rush Limbaugh

Wednesday, March 07, 2007

I'm pissed... again.

There were rumblings about this two weeks ago, when Faux Freaks in the AM took a poll as to whether or not they should get a seat in the front for the gaggle and kick Helen out. I figured they were full of s**t.

Every theater-style seat in the White House briefing room, now closed for renovation, had a brass plaque inscribed with the name of a news organization. Only one, in the middle of the front row, had a name: “HELEN THOMAS,” it said.(snip)

The press corps is scheduled to move from temporary facilities back into the spiffed-up, rewired briefing room in May or June. Thomas, who has been questioning presidents and press secretaries for 46 years, plans to be there. But her front-row seat won’t be. Plans call for her to be moved to the second row to make room for a cable news channel – a sign of Washington’s changing pecking order, and of the new ways that Americans get their news.

THE NEW WAYS AMERICANS GET THEIR NEWS MIKE?

You mean giving credence to LIARS AND FABRICATORS, not tough minded JOURNALISTS who believe in the TRUTH? I'm having vapors, I'm so F**KING PISSED.

THIS IS THE WAY A JOURNALIST SPEAKS.

I pointed out that there is a school of thought that questions are worth asking even if the president won’t answer them. “At least the public’ll know you’re doing your job,” she said. “Questions should be out there, because the American people have seen us become so compliant and complicit. You were there for the run-up to the war. Where were the questions?

"But CNN also reported that in order to accommodate one more network in row one, Helen, our senior-to-all colleague, is to be relegated to row two when we move back into the White House press room," Kinsolving continued.(snip)"And my question: Assuming that CNN is accurate, how can you allow this dean of our corps, senior veteran and undeniably colorful character to be backseated as has been done to her at presidential press conferences?" Kinsolving asked Snow. "And what does this say about Bush-Snow treatment of senior citizens, who wonder how you and the president can allow a network such ageist favoritism over a veteran?"

As Snow stumbled for an answer, Thomas said, "I would never think of his questions in a million years."

"Number one, of course we love Helen," Snow responded. "Number two, the White House does not make decisions about where people sit, so you can address that to the Correspondents' Association. And number three, regardless of the seating arrangement, you'll still be looking at the back of her head."

Kinsolving pressed on, "Why do you allow this? Why do you and the president allow this discrimination against a senior citizen, who is our senior reporter?"

I've been in contact with a friend of Helens' and this is what she had to say-

What is funny to me is that the idiot on FoxNews who is pushing for this said he collected 300 emails in support of him replacing Helen. We could get 3000 in a day on her behalf and blow that jerk out of the water.

I believe that there is tremendous value, both symbolically and practically, for having someone of her courage and character grilling the President from the first chair. It shows the rest of the world that free press, governmental accountability, accomplished female professionals, and Executive transparency are truly American virtues.